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Registering a Baby with the Israeli, U.S., Canadian or U.K. Governments

Registering a Baby with the Israeli, U.S., Canadian or U.K. Governments

Mazal Tov on the birth of your child!

There are a number of steps involved in registering your newborn with the necessary Israeli government offices. You also have the opportunity to register your newborn as a citizen of your country of origin. This guide will outline the steps and explain what you need in order to complete each step.

What you get:

The registrar will ask for your bank account details in order to provide you with the Dmei Leida (childbirth stipend) and to enable you to begin receiving the Kitzvat Yeladim (child allowance) for your newborn.

Note: It typically takes between two to three weeks before Misrad Hapnim is willing to issue a birth certificate for a newborn. They will usually be able to provide you with the birth certificate(s) on the spot. In some cases, however, they will mail the documents back to you within a week or two.

For more information on the rates of the maternity grant, please click here.

The Hospital

You will receive a number of documents at the hospital – make sure to hold onto all of them!

What you need:

Teudat Zehut

Bank account information

Temporary birth certificate

Two copies of a letter confirming that you gave birth (to be given to Bituach Leumi)

Your baby’s immunization booklet

Release forms from the hospital (to give to your doctor later on)

Israeli Birth Certificate

Approximately two to three weeks after the birth of your child, you may visit your local branch of Misrad Hapnim to request their official birth certificate. If you are only requesting a birth certificate at this time, the child does not need to be present. If you are applying for the child’s passport at the same time, the child will need to be present (see step #3).

At this time, we suggest that you request a birth certificate in English from Misrad Hapnim. They will ask you to confirm the English spelling of your child’s name. If you or your spouse changed your name(s) upon Aliyah, please make sure to request documentation of the name change, if you do not have it in your possession. This will ease the process of registering your child as a citizen of your country of origin.

What you need:

Your Teudat Zehut, including your sefach (addendum)

Your spouse’s Teudat Zehut, including their sefach

Temporary birth certificate (given to you at the hospital)

What you Get:

Updated “sfachim” for you and your spouse, listing your newborn

Israeli birth certificate (in Hebrew)

Israeli birth certificate (in English, if requested)

Registering the Child for Kupat Cholim

Once you have the child’s birth certificate from the hospital, you should be able to take it to your kupat cholim in order to register your child for coverage. This is done directly at the kupat cholim of your choice. Children are insured for free in their parents’ kupat cholim up to age 18. If you wish to enroll your child for premium coverage, there is an added fee that is payable directly to the kupat cholim.

Israeli Passport

As an Israeli citizen, your child is required to have an Israeli passport in order to travel abroad. You may apply for the passport at the same time that you apply for a birth certificate. When applying for a passport, the child must be physically present at Misrad Hapnim.

What you need:

Your Teudat Zehut

Child’s birth certificate

Two identical passport size photos of the child

Passport application (available at Misrad Hapnim)

140 NIS payable by cash, credit card, or bank check

Your child’s passport will be mailed to you within five business days

Registration as a Citizen of the USA/Canada/UK

If you or your spouse is a citizen of the USA/Canada/UK, you may register your child as a citizen of one or more of these countries. Israeli citizens require visas in order to enter the United States, and therefore it is necessary to issue an American passport for your child well in advance of your travels. In order to register your child as a citizen of one of these countries, you will first need to have an official Israeli birth certificate issued by Misrad Hapnim. You may request an English version of the Israeli birth certificate directly from Misrad Hapnim.

US Citizens:

The US Department of State has implemented an appointment system for anyone wishing to register the birth of a child and apply for a first-time passport for a child. It is important to schedule the appointment PRIOR to making travel plans, and to make sure that you have all of the required documents necessary to register the birth and request a passport.

In Tel Aviv: To schedule an appointment to register your child as an American citizen and apply for a passport, please click here.

The US Embassy in Tel Aviv is located at 71 HaYarkon Street.

In Jerusalem: To schedule an appointment to register your child as an American citizen and apply for a passport, please click here.The US Consulate-General in Jerusalem is located at 14 David Flusser Street in Jerusalem.

The British Embassy in Tel Aviv is located on the 6th Floor of the Migdalor Building, 1 Ben Yehuda Street.

The British Consulate-General in Jerusalem is located at 19 Nashashibi Street in East Jerusalem.

Canadian Citizens:

For information on registering births outside of Canada, please click here. For information regarding the Canadian Embassy in Israel, please click here.

The Canadian Embassy in Tel Aviv is located at 3/5 Nirim Street.

Maternity Grant

The maternity grant is a payment made by the National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) to a mother within one month after childbirth. The claim is submitted at the hospital in which the birth took place.

What you need:

Teudot Zehut for both spouses

Bank account information

The maternity grant will be transferred to your bank account within one month.

Maternity Allowance (Maternity Leave)

The National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) offers the maternity allowance to compensate a working woman for loss of salary or income during the period in which she does not work due to pregnancy and childbirth.

Maternity leave in Israel is 14 weeks. Depending on your duration of employment at your current job, and your agreement with your employer, you may extend your leave without pay.

In order to qualify for maternity allowance, a woman must meet the following criteria:

If the woman worked (and paid Bituach Leumi) for at least 10 out of 14 months, or 15 our of 22 months prior to the date she ceases work due to childbirth, she will be entitled to 14 weeks of paid leave.

If the woman worked (and paid Bituach Leumi) for six out of the 14 months before the date she ceases work due to childbirth, she will be entitled to six weeks of paid leave.

To apply for maternity allowance, please contact the bookkeeper or HR department at your place of work to inquire about the necessary paperwork. Please make sure to keep the confirmation of the child’s birth that was given to you in the hospital and submit it with to Bituach Leumi along with your application. The maternity allowance is paid in one lump sum a few weeks after the claim is submitted.